Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
ORLANDO, Fla. — The United States women’s national team defeated Canada, 2-0 on Thursday to open the 2023 SheBelieves Cup.
Mallory Swanson scored twice in the first half as the U.S. put Canada under pressure from the opening whistle.
It was a one-sided match from the start, understandably so given the weight of a labor dispute that Canada players carried into the game. Acknowledging that context up front, these were three big talking points for the United States.
Swanson keeps flying
The Mallory Swanson (nee Pugh) era so far: Three games, five goals. Granted, the second goal on Thursday was gift-wrapped by Vanessa Gilles, but the first was a wonderful strike that saw Swanson step back slightly and still generate enough power to smash a volley.
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